Tag regeneration

Silverfish

f&m Leave a comment

The Silverfish (Lepisma saccharinum) is a small insect in the Lepismatidae family. It is silver, but it is not a fish. It moves a bit like a fish.

The Silverfish is a wingless insect with a metallic silvery-grey body covered in scales. Its body is a squashed oval-shape that tapers (narrows) towards its tail. It has six legs and long thin antennae. It has two long appendages at the end of its tail, called cerci (one is called a cercus). It has two small compound eyes. It can regenerate its cerci and its antennae in 2-4 weeks if they are damaged or drop off.

It moves in a wriggling motion, like a fish. It can run quite fast.

Continue reading “Silverfish” →

Young African Clawed Frogs regenerate lost and damaged tails and limbs

f&m Leave a comment

Young African Clawed Frogs regenerate lost and damaged tails and limbs. Adult African Clawed Frogs also regenerate their lost limbs, but the newly regenerated limb is often not fully functional.

The African Clawed Frog (Xenopus laevis) is an aquatic, freshwater amphibian in the Pipidae family of tongueless frogs. It is also known as the African Clawed Toad, or the African Claw-Toed Frog. It grows to 10-13 centimetres (4-5 inches) in length. 

Continue reading “Young African Clawed Frogs regenerate lost and damaged tails and limbs” →

Spanish Ribbed Newt

f&m Leave a comment

The Spanish Ribbed Newt (Pleurodeles waltl) is a freshwater amphibian in the Salamandridae family of salamanders. It is also called the Iberian Ribbed Newt and the Sharp-Ribbed Newt. 

The Spanish Ribbed Newt has a dark-grey body with lighter grey sides. It has small, rust-coloured spots near its ribs. It has a flat spade-shaped head and a long tail. It has tubercles running down each side of its body, with sharp ribs which can puncture through its sides. As it pushes its ribs out, as a defence mechanism, it secretes poison from glands on its body.

 

Continue reading “Spanish Ribbed Newt” →

Chocolate Chip Sea Star

f&m Leave a comment

The Chocolate Chip Sea Star (Protoreaster nodosus) is a marine (saltwater) starfish in the Oreasteridae family. It is also known as the Horned Sea Star. It is an invertebrate, because it does not have a backbone.It is not a fish, so scientists prefer to say that it is a sea star.

The Chocolate Chip Sea Star has five elongated tube limbs, called arms or feet. It has several black or dark-brown tubercles on its arms. It has a greyish body with dark stripes that connect the tubercles. 

Continue reading “Chocolate Chip Sea Star” →

Does the Mexican Walking Fish actually walk?

f&m 4 Comments

Does the Mexican Walking Fish actually walk?

The Mexican Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) is a freshwater amphibian in the salamander family. It is also known as the Mexican Walking Fish, but it is not a fish. Toads, frogs, newts, salamanders and axolotl are amphibians, living partly in water and partly on land. 

Unlike other amphibians, the Mexican Axolotl never leaves the water – it remains aquatic and never goes on land, so it does not walk on land. 

Continue reading “Does the Mexican Walking Fish actually walk?” →